Problems with debt collectors No. 1 complaint for Department of Consumer Affairs

Complaints about debt collectors were the Department of Consumer Affairs number one complaint for the fifth year in a row, the department said Tuesday.

The DCA got more than 650 complaints about debt collectors in 2012, and wiped out about $1.12 million in wrongful debt collection because of the complaints, the department said. Over the last five years, more than 4,000 New Yorkers have filed complaints about collectors.

"We are greatly concerned by the alarming new tactics we are seeing used by overly aggressive debt buyers and other debt collectors, such as using Caller ID spoofing to deceive people into thinking a courthouse or county clerk is calling," said DCA Commissioner Jonathan Mintz.

Consumers who are having problems with debt collectors should call 311 to file a complaint or seek help from the city, the DCA said.